Starting a business need not necessarily cost you a fortune anymore. Here are the 9 best free eCommerce platforms to start your business with a low investment.
There was a time when you needed to have a huge investment in order to start a business of any sort. You need to find a location for your store, take care of the permits and licenses, get the interiors ready, stock the products, etc.
The ability to start your business online has cut down on a lot of these efforts, along with money and time! Especially by choosing an eCommerce platform, you can build an online store and start selling on the very same day!
In this article, we will be listing budget-friendly to free eCommerce platforms where you can start your online business on a really low budget!
Contents
Best Free eCommerce Platforms in 2022
Without further ado, here are the 9 free eCommerce platforms if you want to start your business under a budget.
Platforms with a free plan:
eCommerce platforms usually come with a range of subscription plans, and you can choose the one that suits your business needs.
These are a few free eCommerce platforms that come with a forever free subscription plan that allows you to use the platform free of cost while having access to some of their basic features.
1. Square Online
Best for its very liberal free plan
Paid plans start from $12 per month
Square Online is by far the best free eCommerce platform that you can find. While most free eCommerce platforms pose a lot of restrictions on their free plans, Square online offers a lot of great features in its free plan.
However, it does charge a transaction fee of 2.9% + 30 cents on every transaction. Since you do not have to pay unless you get a sale, this is very suitable for beginners and first-time entrepreneurs.
Features:
The best part about Square online is that you can add unlimited products, even on their free plan. The platform integrates with Square, which is a trusted payment gateway on an international level.
Though most of their advanced sales features cannot be accessed on the free plan, most of the basic features like product listing in variations, inventory management, tax calculator (only in the US), etc. are available!
Design:
Square online has very limited templates or website themes, which are not really easy to customize either.
However, this also means that you do not have to waste a lot of time on the themes and aesthetics of your online store. You can choose a theme and launch your store with minimal customization.
See it in action:
Pricing:
If you are happy with Square online’s free plan and would like to upgrade to one of their paid plans, here is a detailed breakdown of the pricing:
| Plans | Monthly | Yearly | Transaction fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 2.9% +$0.30 |
| Professional | $16 | $12 | 2.9% +$0.30 |
| Performance | $29 | $26 | 2.9% +$0.30 |
| Premium | $79 | $72 | 2.6% +$0.30 |
Ease of use:
Square online is very simple to sign up and get started with. It uses its advanced ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) to design your eCommerce site.
This option allows you to build a professional-looking online store with minimal effort on your end.
The end result will for sure be optimized for eCommerce. However, finding your way around the editor can be very tough.
2. Big Cartel
Best for artisanal and handmade products
Paid plans start from $9.99 per month
Big Cartel is one of the free eCommerce platforms for you if you have 5 products or lesser to sell. Especially if these products are artisanal or handmade, Big cartel will add a lot of value to your business.
It keeps things very simple and economical for sellers and is a great choice for small home-based businesses.
Features:
One of the greatest features offered by Big cartel is that you can connect to your own custom domain on its free plan. If you have an existing domain, you can easily connect it to your store on Big cartel.
Apart from this, you can list up to 5 products on the free plan with one product image for each listing. All the basic eCommerce features like order management, shipment tracking, etc. are provided in the free plan.
Design:
Big cartel offers a good 18 free themes that are easily customizable to suit your business and brand. However, you cannot customize the themes on a code level with the free plan, even if you have the required coding skills.
The templates are simple and professional but look quite similar to the themes on Square online. This free plan is for those who do not bother about the aesthetics of their online store.
See it in action:
Pricing:
Unlike Square online, Big cartel does not charge any transaction fee or commissions, even on their free plan! Here are the paid plans:
| Plan | Monthly | You can list |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | Free | 5 Products |
| Platinum | $9.99 | 50 Products |
| Diamond | $19.99 | 500 Products |
Ease of use:
When it comes to getting your business online quickly and easily without spending a fortune, then Big cartel can be the perfect match for you.
They have a very detailed tutorial or guide that takes you through the entire process of getting started on the platform.
However, when it comes to the design and customization of themes, you need to have the necessary coding skills.
3. Ecwid
Best for unlimited bandwidth on a free plan
Paid plans start from $12.50 per month
Ecwid provides a fully functional eCommerce site complete with all the basic eCommerce features for free of cost. There is no fuss or frill of any sort if you choose Ecwid.
You can connect your Ecwid store to any existing website or promote it across all social media platforms to start selling immediately.
Features:
Ecwid provides a free eCommerce platform for you to list your products and start selling online quickly and easily. It has all the basic eCommerce features like a shopping cart, order management, payment options, etc. on its free plan.
On the free plan, you can list up to 10 products, and you can add unlimited product images or variations of attributes you can add to the listings. Ecwid also offers unlimited bandwidth on its free plans too.
Hence, if you need a professional online store that is mobile-responsive, loads quickly, and allows you to sell for free, then Ecwid is the best eCommerce software to go by!
Design:
With Ecwid’s free plan, you essentially get to create a one-page free eCommerce website where you can add up to 10 products under 2 categories and that’s all.
The platform does have a range of free themes that you can choose from, however, it offers very minimal and basic level customization only.
Ecwid has a team of design experts who can customize your themes for free, but this option is available on their highest paid plan alone.
See it in action:
Pricing:
Ecwid also does not charge any transaction fees or commissions, even on their free plans. However, for advanced eCommerce features, you can choose one of their paid plans.
| Plans | Monthly | Yearly | Products Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 10 |
| Venture | $15 | $12.50 | 100 |
| Business | $35 | $29.17 | 2500 |
| Unlimited | $99 | $82.50 | Unlimited |
Ease of use:
Ecwid makes it very easy to set up your online store and its dashboard is very easy to navigate. It is very intuitive and guides you through the entire process of creating your own store.
It also has a pretty handy app market where you can find apps for additional features and functionalities. However, these apps are mostly paid for.
Platforms with free trial:
We have seen platforms that offer a forever free subscription plan, however, they all come with a lot of limitations.
That said, it is not enough to get started for free of cost. eCommerce platforms are supposed to make it easier for you to run and manage your online business.
Hence, here are some eCommerce platforms that offer a free trial so that you can get started for free. At the same time, their subscription plans are very budget-friendly so that you can keep running your business efficiently at low costs.
4. Dukaan
Best for creating an online store with no coding skills
Paid plans start from $11.99 per month
Dukaan is a great platform that supports small businesses, startups, artisans, etc. You can get started for free on this platform as it offers a 7-day free trial period.
During the trial, you can access all the eCommerce features required to set up your online store and start selling your products. At the end of the trial period, you can subscribe to one of its cost-effective paid plans.
Features:
Dukaan is loaded with eCommerce features such as bulk upload products, magic upload, inventory management, payment gateways, logistics partners, etc. along with basic features like a shopping cart, order management, etc.
They also offer a custom domain and app for all the stores on the platform, however, this feature is not applicable during the trial period. You can manage your business on the go using the mobile app version of the platform.
Design:
Dukaan has a range of well-designed and professional website themes that can also be customized to reflect your brand.
What better? All these themes are free of cost. You can choose any theme that looks interesting to you and customize it to include your brand name, tagline, brand colors, logo, etc.
See it in action:
Pricing:
As mentioned above, Dukaan offers a 7-day free trial period during which you can set up your free eCommerce website, add products, and start selling.
Once you are convinced that Dukaan is the right platform for your business, you can go for one of the following premium plans-
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Entrepreneur | $14.99 | $149.99 |
| Agency | $49.99 | $499.99 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
Ease of use:
Dukaan can easily top the list when it comes to ease of use. It is a very simple and straightforward platform. From creating your account to setting up your store, customizing your storefront to managing your order, every task is very easy.
The platform also has a range of plugins for extra functionality and a number of free business tools to assist you in running your business more efficiently.
5. Squarespace
Best for budget-friendly Paid plans
Paid plans start from $14 per month
Squarespace is the dream eCommerce platform for those who want to build a unique and attractive free eCommerce website. It offers a 14-day free trial period which can also be extended by following a few simple steps.
During the trial, you can access all the eCommerce features plus create the most aesthetically pleasing online store for free.
Features:
Squarespace sure is a design-focused platform, however, it does not lack in its eCommerce features either. It offers unlimited bandwidth even during the free trial. You can sell physical products as well as digital products on the platform.
You can also use its great blogging functionality and build authority for your business. It also offers custom domain, SSL certification, and complete customization of your online store.
Advanced features like abandoned cart recovery, eCommerce analytics, advanced shipping, etc. are available, but only on their highest paid premium plans.
Design:
Squarespace has a wide range of well-designed, professional, and modern website themes, most of which are free to download. You can create a free eCommerce website in the trial period.
The platform uses drag-and-drop functionality to build the website. Hence, it is very easy to design your website. It also allows for customization, which can seem a little restricting. However, the themes are designed to follow eCommerce best practices.
See it in action:
Pricing:
As mentioned above, Squarespace offers a 14-day trial period which can be extended upon request. Post the trial, you can subscribe to one of their decently priced plans.
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Plan | $23 | $16 |
| Business Plan | $33 | $23 |
| Ecommerce Basic Plan | $36 | $27 |
| Ecommerce Advanced Plan | $65 | $49 |
Ease of use:
Building your eCommerce sites on Squarespace is very easy, using its simple drag-and-drop template editor.
You can preview the changes you make to the template on a real-time basis to achieve an online store that looks exactly like your plan.
If your business is in a creative industry like photography, blogging, etc. Squarespace is the best eCommerce platform there is.
6. Wix
Best for aesthetically pleasing online store
Paid plans start from $14 per month
Wix is a holistic eCommerce platform that has both great features and design options. It has no limitations on the trial period.
You can basically build the eCommerce site of your dreams and try out its features for however long you want.
When you are happy with your website and the platform’s features, and you are ready to launch your store, only then do you need to subscribe to one of its plans.
It also offers a 14-day trial period when you upgrade from free to a premium plan.
Features:
Wix offers a number of amazing eCommerce features even on their lowest paid plans. You can sell unlimited products in your online store.
It also offers advanced features like abandoned cart recovery mail, multi-channel selling, social media integrations, blogging integration, and much more.
Wix is primarily a website builder to which you can add the eCommerce functionality. Hence, the eCommerce-specific features are not really scalable.
But for a small-scale business, it is one of the best free eCommerce platforms.
Design:
Wix excels in its design aspects, especially because it offers complete flexibility when it comes to customization of your eCommerce website. It has a pretty extensive theme library as it is primarily a website builder.
You can build your free eCommerce website using its ADI (Advanced Design Intelligence) where you answer a few questions and Wix puts together a website for you.
On the other hand, you can also build your website manually by choosing a theme and then customizing it using Wix’s easy drag-and-drop functionality.
See it in action:
Pricing:
Wix offers a generous amount of free trial period while you are building your eCommerce website. It also offers a 14-day trial period when you subscribe to one of their premium plans from the free plan.
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Combo | $23/month | $16/month |
| Unlimited | $29/month | $22/month |
| Pro | $34/month | $27/month |
| VIP | $49/month | $45/month |
| Business Basic | $34/month | $27/month |
| Business Unlimited | $38/month | $32/month |
| Business VIP | $64/month | $59/month |
Ease of use:
Wix is a very easy-to-use eCommerce website builder that uses the WYSIWYG template editor.
It also allows you to edit the themes at a code level, however, it is not really necessary for building an aesthetically pleasing website for free on Wix.
The eCommerce features are also very beginner friendly. It also has a huge app store that you can access with its premium plans.
Free to download eCommerce software:
As mentioned above, eCommerce platforms are meant to make it easy to sell online. It is a holistic solution to starting an online business.
However, some people may find it very restrictive. If you are looking for an open source software that gives you control over your online store on a code level, then here are some free-to-download eCommerce software.
7. WooCommerce
Best for a wide library of themes and add-ons
Pricing depends on web hosting, paid themes, etc.
WooCommerce is an open-source plugin that is free to download and install. It adds the eCommerce functionality to an existing WordPress website.
Though WooCommerce is free to download, it need not necessarily be a completely free platform.
The costs depend on other factors like themes, plugins, extensions, web hosting, etc.
Features:
When it comes to eCommerce features, WooCommerce is brimming with them.
However, to add the eCommerce functionality, you need to have a pre-existing WordPress site which may come with a few charges for a domain, web hosting, etc.
From basic features like order management and inventory management to advanced features like store analytics and marketing integrations, WooCommerce has it all.
Design:
WordPress has the most extensive theme library among all the eCommerce website builders existing. When you use WooCommerce, you will automatically have access to this theme library.
Since WooCommerce is an open-source plugin, you will have complete design control of your free eCommerce website. However, you need to be technically strong and know to code for minute-level customization of themes.
See it in action:
Pricing:
As mentioned above, WooCommerce is one of the free eCommerce platforms to download and install. There are other aspects involved which may increase the overall cost.
| Low Pricing Range: | High Pricing Range: | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | $6.95/month | $12.95/month |
| Domain Name | $15/year | $25/year |
| Theme | Free WooCommerce theme | $35-129 professional theme |
| Plugins | Free | $100-150/year |
| Security | $10/year | $150-450/year |
| Dev Fees | Free | $1,000-6,000 |
Ease of use:
Though you get complete design control of your website, you need to know coding to actually make the minute-level customizations.
This may not be suitable for every seller as not all of them possess technical knowledge.
For this reason, choosing a holistic eCommerce platform like Dukaan, Wix, etc. might be a better choice from the design point of view.
From an eCommerce point of view, WooCommerce is quite simple and straightforward. You can create your store with the help of the step-by-step wizard.
8. Prestashop
Best for sellers with developer experience
Pricing depends on the domain, hosting, SSL, themes, etc.
Prestashop is a free and open-source eCommerce platform that gives you complete freedom to build and customize your eCommerce website.
It is a free eCommerce software to download and use.
Recently it has come up with a fully hosted option called Prestashop ready, which is more of a SaaS. Though it does not provide edit access to the codes, it is a more user-friendly version.
Features:
Prestashop has the features required for you to set up your online store and manage your business effectively. It has a very intuitive product creation feature that lets you add products in bulk.
It also has a pretty handy inventory management feature that alerts you when the stocks are low. The marketing features are massive and built-in.
As for the rest of the features, you can use add-ons and extensions.
Design:
Prestashop has over 1500 customizable website themes in its theme library. Moreover, since it is an open-source platform, you have all the opportunities to create the most unique and aesthetically pleasing eCommerce website for your business.
While customizing your store, you can add important features like the search bar for easy navigation of your store, organizing your product listings, etc.
You can basically make your store look really professional and attractive.
See it in action:
Pricing:
Prestashop is free and open source eCommerce, however, that doesn’t mean that there are absolutely no charges involved. You can always keep these charges on the minimum end.
| Features | Pricing (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Domain | Up to $20 per year |
| Hosting | $3 to $100 per month |
| SSL Certificate | $100 to $500 per year |
| Themes and Modules | $50 to $1000 |
| Developer charges | $50 to $80 per hour |
Ease of use:
Prestashop is not a very easy-to-navigate platform as its backend is quite complicated and technical.
You need to possess the required technical knowledge to access and make the necessary changes to the codes.
Though there is no free trial option on Prestashop, it offers a free demo that allows you to get a feel of the software and access where you may need to spend a little extra.
For the eCommerce part, Prestashop is very user-friendly and easy to use. Its eCommerce features make it easy to run and manage your business on the platform.
9. OpenCart
Best for sellers with PHP coding knowledge
Pricing depends on the domain, hosting, SSL, etc.
OpenCart is the last open-source platform on this list of free eCommerce platforms, but never the least. It is one of the most easy-to-use platforms when compared to other open source platforms like WooCommerce, Magento, etc.
However, it is a PHP-based platform and hence if you choose OpenCart, you need to be well-versed with PHP as well as other programming languages. If you have the required skills, this platform can be a simple, cost-effective solution for your business.
Features:
OpenCart is a very feature-rich platform for eCommerce. It supports multiple languages and currencies for international selling.
There are no limits on product listing and you can also handle multiple stores under one admin account. You can sell both physical and digital products on OpenCart.
Lastly, it supports over 1000 payment gateways, some of which come built-in and the rest are available as extensions.
The best part about OpenCart is that its extensions are all eCommerce focused when compared to WordPress, which has extensions for regular websites too.
Design:
OpenCart does not fall short in the design aspect either. It has a great theme library with plenty of well-designed, professional-looking website themes.
It also allows you to import templates from third-party vendors like Theme Forest, Template Monster, etc.
You can choose a theme that is available for free of cost and make very limited customization to arrive at a professional online store. If you want to make changes to the code element, then you must possess the necessary coding skills.
See it in action:
Pricing:
OpenCart is free software, with one-time costs that come while building the website. But, you can keep these costs to a bare minimum, especially if you have the right technical expertise.
| Features | Pricing Starts at |
|---|---|
| Domain | $10 per year |
| Hosting | $10 per month |
| SSL Certificate | $100 per year |
| Themes and Modules | $100 |
Ease of use:
OpenCart is free to download and explore. It also offers a demo version that allows you to explore further into the platform.
The platform is very clean, well-organized, and user-friendly compared to other open source platforms. You can access the extensions library to expand the eCommerce functionality of your store on OpenCart.
Best Free Ecommerce Platforms
2. Big Cartel: Best for artisanal and handmade products
3. Ecwid: Best for unlimited bandwidth on a free plan
4. Dukaan: Best for creating an online store with no coding skills
5. Squarespace: Best for budget-friendly pricing plans
6. Wix: Best for aesthetically pleasing online store
7. WooCommerce: Best for a wide library of themes and add-ons
8. Prestashop: Best for sellers with developer experience
9. Open Cart: Best for sellers with PHP coding knowledge
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FAQ’s
1. What selling platforms are free?The eCommerce platforms that offer a forever free plan are: Square Online, Big Cartel, and Ecwid. You can sell on these platforms for free, but you will have access to only their basic features.
2. Should I choose free eCommerce platforms?
If you are on a tight budget, then it is ok to choose a free eCommerce platform. It will help you get started and start selling. However, as your business grows, you need to invest in the right eCommerce platform so that you can manage your business more efficiently.
3. Is Dukaan a free eCommerce platform?
Dukaan offers a 7-day free trial during which you can set up your online store, add your products and start selling too. Post the trial, you can choose one of the value-packed, cost-effective, subscription plans that start at less than $12 per month!
4. Which is the best business to start for free?
If you want to start a business for free, then you can go for the dropshipping business. You do not need to hold any inventory or worry about the logistics. All you have to do is to find a reliable supplier for your choice of products.
5. Is selling on social media a good idea?
Since you can sell on social media for free of cost, a lot of sellers choose this option. However, running a business on social media can become a total nightmare pretty quickly. For this reason, we always recommend sellers to have their own online store!
Conclusion
So there you have it, 9 free eCommerce platforms that can help you start your business with the lowest investment.
You do not need to spend a fortune on a domain, hosting, SSL, themes, etc. in order to have a fully functional eCommerce store and sell online.
Today, eCommerce platforms have made it easy to set up your online store quickly, easily, and at a fraction of the cost! You do not even need any coding skills to start an online store.
Especially with an eCommerce platform like Dukaan where you can set up your online store and start selling your products, while on your free trial period!
Wondering how is that even possible?
Watch this video for complete information:
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